Set the Right Expectations

That prospect I mentioned above who only wanted links – we let them know that isn’t what we do and the reasons their desired strategy won’t yield them the results they want.

By setting the right expectations, you are also educating the team, killing two birds with one stone and making your life much easier.

2. What Have You Done for Me Lately?

Back in July, Jacob Bohall wrote a wonderful piece reflecting on the SEO space and the challenges we each face.

One of his points was around the idea of being #1 and how it’s never good enough. I couldn’t agree more.

Marketing in and of itself is a ‘what have you done for me lately?’ industry but SEO truly goes above and beyond.

Do any of these sound familiar?

Organic traffic is up 200 percent but my top keyword isn’t on the first page.

Organic is driving 50 percent more leads than last year. How come it’s not higher?

Sales from organic are the highest they’ve ever been but our team is concerned they aren’t getting enough volume.

Constant pressure can be draining and feeling that there’s no end in sight will easily strip away your passion.

Last Spring, I found my passion for search missing. As I started to dig into the why, I realized one of the biggest reasons was the constant pressure from a few specific accounts.

We worked with each of them for years, results were always great, but they were never happy. Even if they seemed happy, I knew it would be short-lived.

I would wait for the inevitable email each week complaining about something we had done. It wore me down.

Eventually, we restructured the accounts, addressed some of the key issues, and reset expectations. It wasn’t the ideal situation but it helped and we’ve been able to move forward with the accounts.

If you find yourself struggling with any of these same issues, I recommend the following:

Focus on ALL of the Wins

As mentioned earlier, SEO can be a long game. We have to take a minute to celebrate the wins, even if they are small.

Did that keyword you’ve been working toward jump onto the first page?

Did your blog updates results in month-over-month organic growth?

Did a publisher accept your byline?

These are all great things!

Yes, we are paid to be successful. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the wins when we get them.

Don’t Be Afraid to Speak up

As I think back to my own frustrations, I realize that I didn’t communicate well and when I did, it was too late.

We all have moments where we complain about something or someone at work but if there is legitimately a problem, one that is draining you of your passion, you need to bring it up in a serious manner.

If you’re on the right team, they will support you.

3. Keeping Up with the Joneses

I have been in the search space since 2005 and while I am constantly learning new things, I am also constantly worried I’m not learning enough.

There are some really freaking smart people in the industry and it can be easy to compare yourself to them.

Here’s the thing – we can’t be everything to everyone.

Rand Fishkin tweeted this a few weeks ago and it generated a number of responses, some positive, some negative but I have to say, I agree:

See, the thing is, that while I want the technical chops of Britney Muller or Mike King, that’s never going to be me.

What I can do is learn from these folks and understand the things that matter to my job.

For example, I am not a coder but I have learned enough HTML to identify technical issues impacting search. I am also not a designer, but I have learned enough about UX to understand what a site needs to perform better.

Those things make me better at my job.

Trying to keep up with everyone around you is exhausting and it can make you feel as if you are failing. Focus on what you’re good at and don’t be afraid to pick a niche.

When I started in search, I focused a lot on link building. It was something that spoke to me, I found interesting, and frankly, I was good at.

As time passed, I started leaning more toward content. I’m sure that will change as time progresses.

Remember, you can be a great SEO without being an expert in all the things.

Relighting the Fire

Burnout can happen and when it does, it’s important to recognize it, deal with it, and figure out the next steps.

Many of us have been there and if you are looking for a way to reignite the passion, reach out to your fellow SEO pros.

We work in an amazing industry and we do this for a reason. It has its challenges but at the same time, it has its rewards.

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